Tao Te Ching Chapter 65 – 淳德 (道德经 第65章)
Paul PengShare
Tao Te Ching — Chapter 65: Pure Unmixed Excellence
道德经 第六十五章 · 淳德 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries
Original Text — 原文
English Translation — James Legge
The ancients who showed their skill in practising the Dao did so, not to enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant.
The difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge. He who tries to govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it; while he who does not try to do so is a blessing. As shown in Chapter 57, the more laws and clever measures, the more disorder — the sage governs by not governing.
He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule. Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence of a governor. Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.
✦ Key Insight
Chapter 65 makes a claim that surprises modern readers: the ancient sages did not try to enlighten the people — they kept them simple. This is not a call for oppression but a warning against the dangers of cleverness. When people have too much knowledge, they become difficult to govern — not because knowledge is bad, but because cleverness breeds cunning, and cunning breeds conflict. The ruler who governs through wisdom imposes his own patterns; the ruler who does not govern through wisdom allows the natural order to prevail. This is mysterious virtue: deep, far-reaching, opposite to the world, yet leading all to great accord.
Classical Commentaries — 古典注释
王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary
Wang Bi argues that ancient practitioners of the Dao did not enlighten the people but kept them simple. Governing with cleverness is a curse; governing without cleverness is a blessing. Knowing these two is the model of mysterious virtue, which is deep and far-reaching — it leads to great accord.
河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary
Heshang Gong says ancient rulers of the Dao did not teach people cleverness but kept them simple. A ruler who governs through wisdom harms the state; one who governs without wisdom blesses it. This mysterious virtue is deep and far-reaching.
About the Author
Paul Peng
Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.
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